Cotton Module Flipper Method and Apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus to tilt, flip, or rotate a round cotton module on a conveying system employs actuated arms includes that support a bar which fits in place of a roller on a provided conveyor system having multiple rollers. A cotton module can be easily rotated or flipped to a vertical position when the bar rotates between initial reclined and final elevated positions. The wrapping can be removed once the cotton module reaches the final elevated position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/407,101,filed Oct. 27, 2010, incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX”

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The apparatus of the present invention relates to an apparatus forconveying cotton bales or cotton modules wherein a lever or flipperrotates each bale or module from a first prone position to a second,elevated upright position while traveling along a conveyor (of rollers,for example). More particularly, this invention relates to a device thatis used to tilt or flip cotton modules on for example a roller equippedconveying system wherein each module travels in a first prone positionalong a first conveyor or section and then is flipped upright.

2. General Background of the Invention

There are prior art bale/module flipping devices that have beenpatented. Examples of possibly related patents directed to such devicesare listed below and each patent is hereby incorporated herein byreference:

U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,939,569; 3,286,854; 3,322,256; 3,344,902; 3,612,309;3,923,176; 4,050,598; 4,103,794; 4,179,017; 5,540,534; 6,811,367; and USPublication Nos. 2004/0005208; 2009/0202327; 2010/0024617. A competingcotton module handling product can be seen at:http://www.stoverequipment.com/unwrapper%20GIS.html.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an apparatus that tilts or flips orrotates a round cotton module traveling on a conveying system. The baleis tilted, flipped or rotated by means of an actuated lever or arm. Theapparatus includes two horizontal arms extending some distance down eachside of a module feeder conveyor.

These two horizontal arms each have pivot points at one end and a beamconnecting the two arms on the other end. The beam that connects the twoarms extend across the module feeder conveyor and rests between tworollers on a roller bed type module feeder conveyor or between two ofthe chain sprockets on a chain bed type module feeder conveyor. The twohorizontal arms rotate upwards in sequence by means of extensible ramsor cylinders (e.g., hydraulic cylinders) in order to cause the connectorbeam to rotate a round cotton module from its side onto its end for thepurpose of enabling easy removal of the plastic wrap that envelops allor part of the round module.

The plastic wrap can be partially cut, either manually or automatically,in order to allow the wrap to be removed at the bottom portion of theround cotton module. By only removing the bottom portion of the plasticwrap, the top portion of the plastic wrap (which has not been removed)will hold the round cotton module together until such time that the nextround module in the sequence has been partially unwrapped.

Once the next round cotton module in the sequence has been partiallyunwrapped, the wrap is completely removed from the first round module,allowing the module to fall apart, providing an even flow of cotton downthe conveyor and into the module feeder.

A lever arm or flipper arm takes the place of a roller, or can be placedin between two rollers.

The flipper arm or lever arm can be placed between two sprockets atadjacent ends of chain sections on chain bed conveyors.

The cotton module has wrap that can remain on the module to hold ittogether until the next module is flipped.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages ofthe present invention, reference should be had to the following detaileddescription, read in conjunction with the following drawings, whereinlike reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of theapparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a preferred embodiment of theapparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end view of a preferred embodiment of theapparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a preferred embodiment ofthe apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is another side fragmentary elevation view of a preferredembodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of theapparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of theapparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of theapparatus of the present invention illustrating rotation of theactuating arm;

FIG. 9 is a side fragmentary view of a preferred embodiment of theapparatus of the present invention illustrating rotation of theactuating arm;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodiment ofthe apparatus of the present invention showing rotation of the actuatingarm;

FIG. 11 is a side fragmentary elevation view of a preferred embodimentof the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the cotton moduleafter it has been rotated from a first prone or horizontal position to asecond upright or vertical position;

FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of theapparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of a preferred embodiment of theapparatus of the present invention; and

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary top view of a preferred embodiment of theapparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-14,designated generally by the numeral 10 in FIGS. 1 and 6. Cotton moduleflipping apparatus 10 provides an apparatus and method for rotating orflipping a cotton module 20 from a prone or generally horizontalposition (see FIGS. 1, 3, 5-6) to an upright or vertical position (seeFIGS. 1, 11-12). Cotton modules 20 are generally cylindrically shaped,having ends 21, 22 and side wall 23. Modules 20 are typically about 8′long and about 90″ in diameter. Modules 20 are moved on a conveyingsystem 13 that includes a frame 50 supporting rollers 12, 16.

The cotton module handling apparatus 10 can employ a lifting mechanism14 in the form of a hydraulically operated flipper or lever device whichhas a bar 11 that fits in place of one of the rollers 12 or 16 in aconveyor system 13 (see FIG. 4). The two arms 32, 34 (one on each sideof the conveyor) lift the bar 11 when the cotton module 20 is placedabove the bar 11 (see FIGS. 5-6). Bar 11 can be powered by lift cylinderor cylinder 18. Cylinder 18 rotates arms 32, 34 to move each module 20from a position on its side to a vertical position so that the plasticwrap 24 around module 20 can be removed before the cotton enters thecotton module feeder disperser head 15. These round cotton modules 20are similar to round hay bales and can be created by a John Deere® 7760cotton picker.

Bar 11 need not be square as shown, but could be round or some othershape and could for example be a roller.

In FIG. 1, there can be seen a plurality of cotton modules 20 beingconveyed toward cotton module feeder disperser head 15. Each of themodules 20 is rolling upon rollers 12, 16 of a conveyer system orfeeder-conveyor system 13. In FIGS. 1 and 4-11, a gap 46 is providedthat is receptive of bar 11. Rollers 12 are the rollers before the gap46. Rollers 16 are rollers that are after the gap 46 when considered ina direction of travel indicated by arrow 48 in FIG. 1.

Each cotton module 20 has an outer side wall 23 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) thatcan be generally cylindrically shaped. The outer side wall 23 is coveredwith a wrapper or wrapping 24 that is typically removed substantiallyimmediately prior to the receipt of a cotton module into cotton modulefeeder disperser head 15. The module 20 thus includes the wrapper orwrapping 24 and the cotton 26 contained therein. As each cotton module20 reaches gap 46, the module 20 is placed over bar 11. This initialposition can be seen in FIGS. 3, 5, 6. Bar 11 is able to move from areclined position wherein it rests in gap 46 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6to an elevated position as shown in FIGS. 9-12. A fully elevatedposition is shown in FIG. 12.

In order to move the cotton module 20 from the position of FIGS. 3-6 tothe position of FIG. 12, an extensible cylinder 18 is provided. Thisextensible cylinder 18 can be a hydraulic cylinder, pneumatic cylinder,or other extensible cylinder. The cylinder 18 is mounted to anunderlying support surface such as a concrete floor 58 with a foot 28.There can be a pivotal connection 52 between foot 28 and cylinder 18 asshown in FIG. 4. Extensible cylinder 18 includes a cylinder 54 and apush rod 30 that extends and retracts into or out of cylinder 54. A pairof arms 32, 34 are pivotally attached to frame 51 at pivots 40, 42 (see,e.g., FIG. 7). Frame 51 can provide a column or post 36, 38 for each arm32, 34 as shown in FIG. 12.

Push rod 30 forms a pivotal attachment at 56 to arm 32. There can be anadditional extensible cylinder 18 attached to the arm 34 in the samefashion as the arm 32 attachment to the extensible cylinder 18 shown inFIG. 12.

Arm 32 is pivotally attached to column or post 36 at pivot or pivotalattachment 40. Arm 34 is pivotally attached to column or post 38 atpivot or pivotal attachment 42. A base or anchor plate 44 can beprovided and mounted to an underlying support surface such as a concretefloor or slab 58. Such an anchor plate or base 44 could be a steel orother structural material with foot 28 and column or post 36, 38 weldedthereto.

In FIG. 1, there is a module 20 that is shown in transition, designatedgenerally as the numeral 60. This transition position shows the module20 as it is being moved from a reclined position to an upright orupstanding position.

This transition or intermediate position 60 can also be seen by viewingFIGS. 5 and 6 for the initial reclined position of the module 20, andFIGS. 9 and 10 which show the transitional or intermediate position 60and finally to FIGS. 11 and 12 that show the module 20 in the finalelevated or upright or flipped position that is required for removal ofits wrapper or wrapping 24.

The flipper apparatus of the present invention can be made of forexample 5″ square steel tube and can have, for example, dimensions offor example 168″ in width, 45¾″ in height, with a distance of pivot 40to bar 11 of about 70″, and with a distance from pivot 52 to pivot 56(see e.g. FIG. 9) of about 40″ when the cylinder 18 is retracted andabout 72″ when the cylinder 18 is extended, with a bar 11 length ofabout 156″, when used with a roller conveyor having a width of 120″ withrollers about 6⅝″ in diameter. Not shown in the drawings is thehydraulic or pneumatic system which actuates the cylinders 18. Thissystem can be any commercially available hydraulic or pneumatic system,such as a hydraulic power unit utilizing a 10 hp electric motor to pumphydraulic fluid, available from Franklin Electrofluid Co., Inc. ofMemphis, Tenn. Preferably, the controls for the hydraulic or pneumaticsystem are adjacent catwalk or operator platform 61 and stepped sideboards (retaining wall) 62, both shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, toallow manual activation of flipper 14 by a worker. Catwalk 61 allowsworkers to access modules 20 adjacent flipper 14 so they can optionallypartially remove wrapping 24 before modules 20 are flipped, andcompletely remove wrapping 24 after modules after they are enclosedbetween retaining walls 62 (though only one retaining wall 62 and onecatwalk 61 are shown in FIG. 1, preferably on the other side ofconveyors 13 are a like catwalk and retaining wall), so that when thewrapping 24 is removed and the bales 20 collapse, they do so where thecotton in bales 20 will be retained by retaining walls 62 and travel tocotton feeder head 15.

Stairs (not shown) are adjacent cotton feeder head 15 to allow workersaccess to the top of cotton feeder head 15. Disperser rollers 63 in thefeeder head help to break up the cotton in the modules after thewrapping 24 has been removed.

Optionally, the actuating system is automatically activated responsiveto the positioning of a cotton module 20 above the bar 11 (this can beaccomplished by, for example, providing an optical electronic switch ormechanical limit switch or any other detector to detect the presence ofa module 20 in position to be flipped).

Preferably, the conveyor stops automatically by means of for example aproximity switch normally in contact with bar 11 when bar 11 is in theresting position. This allows one module 20 to be flipped properly andthe bar 11 to return to the resting position before another module 20passes over gap 46. This proximity switch could, for example, be locatedbelow gap 46.

Also, one could include an automatic cutting device to cut the wrapper24 as the module 20 passes the cutting device or when module 20 arrivesat the cutting device.

In a preferred embodiment of the cotton module conveying and flippingapparatus 10, the cotton module 20 is elevated above the rollers 12, 16as shown, for example, in FIGS. 9 and 10, with only bar 11 in contactwith the upper end portion of module 20.

The conveyors, whether chain or roller type, are usually split intosections that are driven independently. Because it is important to havea constant feed of cotton to the feeder head, it might be beneficial tofurther split these sections at some points before or after the flipperin order to run a conveyor section or conveyor sections at a higherspeed to close any gaps that may occur between the round modules whenthere is a time lag between arrivals of cotton bales (so new cottonbales can speed up to catch up with cotton bales already near the feederhead).

PARTS LIST

The following is a list of suitable parts and materials for the variouselements of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Part Number Description 10 cotton module handling apparatus 11 bar 12roller 13 conveyor system/feeder-conveyer 14 lifting mechanism 15 cottonmodule feeder disperser head 16 roller 18 extensible cylinder/hydrauliccylinder 20 cotton module 21 end 22 end 23 outer side wall 24wrapper/wrapping 26 cotton 28 foot 30 pushrod 32 arm 34 arm 36column/post 38 column/post 40 pivot/pivotal attachment 42 pivot/pivotalattachment 44 base/anchor plate 46 gap 48 arrow 50 frame 51 frame 52pivot/pivotal connection 54 cylinder 56 pivot/pivotal attachment 58floor/slab 60 transition positioner 61 operator platform 62 stepped sideboards 63 disperser rollers

All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature andpressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise.

The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; thescope of the present invention is to be limited only by the followingclaims.

1. A cotton module flipping apparatus comprising: a) a conveyor havingan upper surface defined by a plurality of rollers; b) a bar which ispositioned to contact a cotton module as the module is conveyed on theconveyor system, the bar being placed in between a pair of the rollers;c) one or more arms attached to the bar; and d) an actuating systemattached to the arm or arms to cause the arm or arms to lift the barwhen the cotton module on the conveyor system is positioned above thebar, enabling the bar to engage and tilt the cotton module from ahorizontal to a vertical position.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe actuating system includes hydraulics.
 3. A cotton module flippingapparatus, comprising: a) a conveyor having a plurality of rollers thatdefine a conveying surface area for supporting a cotton module thereon;b) a bar which is next to the conveying surface area and next to aroller in the conveyor system; c) an arm or arms attached to the bar;and d) an actuating system attached to the arm or arms to cause the armor arms to lift the bar when a cotton module on the conveyor system ispositioned to be tilted from a horizontal to a vertical position.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 3, wherein the actuating system includes hydraulics.5. A method of preparing a cotton module for use in a cotton gin,comprising: providing the apparatus of claim 1; using the apparatus toflip a cotton module into a vertical position; removing wrap from thecotton module after the module has been flipped.
 6. A cotton moduleconveying and flipping apparatus, comprising: a) a conveyor thatincludes a plurality of rollers defining a conveying surface that isable to support a cotton module to be conveyed; b) a bar that ispositioned to contact the cotton module as the module is conveyed onsaid conveyor, the bar being positioned in between two of the rollers;c) the bar being supported by a frame that includes one or more arms; d)an actuating system attached to the arm or arms that lifts the bar whena cotton module on the conveyor system reaches a position next to thebar, the bar being movable between lower and raised positions; e)wherein the actuating system elevates the bar to place it in said raisedposition to elevate the cotton module therewith.
 7. The cotton moduleconveying and flipping apparatus of claim 6, wherein the actuatingsystem includes a hydraulic cylinder that extends to elevate the bar. 8.The cotton module conveying and flipping apparatus of claim 6, whereinthe frame extends below the rollers.
 9. The cotton module conveying andflipping apparatus of claim 6, wherein each roller has a width and thebar has a width that is about the same width of a said roller locatednext to the bar.
 10. The cotton module conveying and flipping apparatusof claim 9, wherein the bar is longer than each of the rollers next tothe bar.
 11. The cotton module conveying and flipping apparatus of claim6, wherein the bar is supported by two arms positioned at opposing endportions of the rollers.
 12. The cotton module conveying and flippingapparatus of claim 6, wherein the actuating system is manuallyactivated.
 13. The cotton module conveying and flipping apparatus ofclaim 6, wherein the actuating system is automatically activatedresponsive to the positioning of a cotton module above the bar.
 14. Thecotton module conveying and flipping apparatus of claim 6, wherein thecotton module is rotated a measure of about 90 degrees.
 15. The cottonmodule conveying and flipping apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cottonmodule is elevated above the rollers.
 16. A cotton module flippingapparatus comprising: a) a bar which fits in place of one of a roller ina conveyor system; b) an arm or arms attached to the bar; c) anactuating system attached to the arm or arms to cause the arm or arms tolift the bar when a cotton module on the conveyor system is positionedto be tilted from a horizontal to a vertical position.
 17. The apparatusof claim 16, wherein the actuating system includes hydraulics.
 18. Amethod of preparing a cotton module for use in a cotton gin, comprisingthe steps of: a) conveying the cotton module along a conveyor that hasmultiple rollers; b) placing a lifting bar in between two of saidrollers; c) lifting the bar when the cotton module is positioned abovethe lifting bar, using the lifting bar to flip the cotton module so thatit is partially elevated and rotated; and d) removing wrap from thecotton module after the module has been flipped.
 19. A cotton moduleconveying and flipping apparatus, comprising: a) a conveyor having aconveyor surface area that is configured to convey a cotton module froma first location to a second location; b) a bar which can contact acotton module as the module is conveyed on said conveyor, said bar beingpositioned at said second location; c) the bar being supported by aframe that includes one or more arms; d) an actuating system attached tothe arm or arms that lifts the bar when a cotton module on the conveyorsystem reaches said second location, the bar being movable between lowerand raised positions; e) wherein the actuating system elevates the barto place it in said raised position when the cotton module reaches thesecond location.
 20. The cotton module conveying and flipping apparatusof claim 19, wherein the actuating system includes a hydraulic cylinderthat extends to elevate the bar.
 21. The cotton module conveying andflipping apparatus of claim 19, wherein the frame extends below theconveyor surface area.
 22. The cotton module conveying and flippingapparatus of claim 19, wherein the conveyor surface area has a width andthe bar has a length that is about the same as the width of a saidconveyor surface area located next to the bar.
 23. The cotton moduleconveying and flipping apparatus of claim 19, wherein the bar is longerthan each of the width of the conveyor surface area next to the bar. 24.The cotton module conveying and flipping apparatus of claim 19, whereinthe bar is supported by two arms positioned at opposing end portions ofrollers.
 25. The cotton module conveying and flipping apparatus of claim19, wherein the actuating system is manually activated.
 26. The cottonmodule conveying and flipping apparatus of claim 19, wherein theactuating system is automatically activated responsive to thepositioning of a cotton module above the bar.
 27. The cotton moduleconveying and flipping apparatus of claim 19, wherein the cotton moduleis rotated a measure of about 90 degrees.
 28. The cotton moduleconveying and flipping apparatus of claim 19, wherein the cotton moduleis elevated above rollers.
 29. A cotton module flipping apparatuscomprising: a) a conveyor having a plurality of rollers; b) a bar whichoccupies a position in between two of the rollers; c) an arm attached tothe bar; d) an lifting system attached to the arm that enables the armto lift the bar; e) an actuator that operates the lifting system when acotton module on the conveyor system is positioned above the bar, thebar movable between a reclined position and an elevated position whereinthe cotton module is tilted from a horizontal to a vertical positionwhen the bar moves to the elevated position.
 30. The apparatus of claim29 wherein the actuator includes a hydraulic ram.
 31. A method ofpreparing a cotton module for use in a cotton gin, comprising the stepsof: a) conveying the cotton module along a conveyor that has multiplerollers; b) placing a lifting bar in between two of said rollers; c)lifting the bar when the cotton module is positioned above the liftingbar, using the lifting bar to flip the cotton module so that it ispartially elevated and rotated; and d) removing wrap from the cottonmodule after the module has been flipped.
 32. (canceled)